Eliza Dushku
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Eliza Patricia Dushku (; born December 30, 1980) is an American former actress. Dushku starred as
Faith Faith is confidence or trust in a person, thing, or concept. In the context of religion, faith is " belief in God or in the doctrines or teachings of religion". According to the Merriam-Webster's Dictionary, faith has multiple definitions, inc ...
in the
supernatural Supernatural phenomena or entities are those beyond the Scientific law, laws of nature. The term is derived from Medieval Latin , from Latin 'above, beyond, outside of' + 'nature'. Although the corollary term "nature" has had multiple meanin ...
drama Drama is the specific Mode (literature), mode of fiction Mimesis, represented in performance: a Play (theatre), play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on Radio drama, radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a g ...
series ''
Buffy the Vampire Slayer ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' is an American supernatural fiction, supernatural drama television series created by writer and director Joss Whedon. The concept is based on the Buffy the Vampire Slayer (film), 1992 film, also written by Whedon, a ...
'' (1998–2003) and its spin-off series ''
Angel An angel is a spiritual (without a physical body), heavenly, or supernatural being, usually humanoid with bird-like wings, often depicted as a messenger or intermediary between God (the transcendent) and humanity (the profane) in variou ...
'' (2000–2003). She also had lead roles in the Fox supernatural drama series '' Tru Calling'' (2003–2005) and the Fox
science fiction Science fiction (often shortened to sci-fi or abbreviated SF) is a genre of speculative fiction that deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts. These concepts may include information technology and robotics, biological manipulations, space ...
series '' Dollhouse'' (2009–2010), for which she was a producer. Dushku had starring roles in various films, including ''
True Lies ''True Lies'' is a 1994 American action comedy film written and directed by James Cameron. It stars Arnold Schwarzenegger as Harry Tasker, a U.S. government agent, who struggles to balance his double life as a spy with his familial duties, ...
'' (1994), '' Bye Bye Love'' (1995), '' Bring It On'' (2000), '' Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back'' (2001), ''
The New Guy ''The New Guy'' is a 2002 American teen comedy film directed by Ed Decter, written by David Kendall and starring DJ Qualls, Eliza Dushku, Zooey Deschanel, Lyle Lovett, and Eddie Griffin. The film tells the story of high school loser Dizzy H ...
'' (2002), '' Wrong Turn'' (2003), '' On Broadway'' (2007), '' The Scribbler'' (2014), '' Jane Wants a Boyfriend'' (2015), and '' Eloise'' (2016). She has also done voice work for numerous
video games A video game or computer game is an electronic game that involves interaction with a user interface or input device (such as a joystick, game controller, controller, computer keyboard, keyboard, or motion sensing device) to generate visual fe ...
and animated films.


Early life

Dushku was born in
Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...
and raised in
Watertown, Massachusetts Watertown is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, part of Greater Boston. The population was 35,329 in the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Its neighborhoods include Bemis, Coolidge Square, East Watertown, Watertown Sq ...
, the only daughter and youngest of the four children of school teacher and administrator Phillip Dushku and Judy Dushku (), a political science professor. Dushku's father was
Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...
-born, of Albanian heritage, with his parents coming from the city of
Korçë Korçë (; sq-definite, Korça) is the List of cities and towns in Albania, eighth most populous city of Albania and the seat of Korçë County and Korçë Municipality. The total population of the city is 51,152 and 75,994 of Korçë municipal ...
. Her parents were divorced before she was born. Dushku's mother was a member of
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a Nontrinitarianism, nontrinitarian Restorationism, restorationist Christianity, Christian Christian denomination, denomination and the ...
, and Dushku and her three brothers were raised as members of the Church. She attended Beaver Country Day School in
Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts Chestnut Hill is a wealthy New England village located west of downtown Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It is best known for being home to Boston College and a section of the Boston Marathon route. Like all Massachusetts villages, Ch ...
, and graduated from Watertown High School.


Career


Acting


1992–1997: Beginnings and breakthrough

Dushku came to the attention of casting agents when she was ten years old. She was chosen in a five-month search for the lead role of Alice in the 1992 romantic drama film '' That Night''. In 1993, Dushku landed a role as Pearl, alongside
Robert De Niro Robert Anthony De Niro ( , ; born August 17, 1943) is an American actor, director, and film producer. He is considered to be one of the greatest and most influential actors of his generation. De Niro is the recipient of List of awards and ...
and
Leonardo DiCaprio Leonardo Wilhelm DiCaprio (; ; born November 11, 1974) is an American actor and film producer. Known for Leonardo DiCaprio filmography, his work in biographical and period films, he is the recipient of List of awards and nominations received ...
, in the drama film '' This Boy's Life''. The following year, she played the teenage daughter of
Arnold Schwarzenegger Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger (born July30, 1947) is an Austrian and American actor, businessman, former politician, and former professional bodybuilder, known for his roles in high-profile action films. Governorship of Arnold Schwarzenegger, ...
and
Jamie Lee Curtis Jamie Lee Curtis (born November 22, 1958) is an American actress, producer, and children's author. Known for List of Jamie Lee Curtis performances, her performances in the horror and slasher film, slasher genres, she is regarded as a scream qu ...
in the action spy film ''
True Lies ''True Lies'' is a 1994 American action comedy film written and directed by James Cameron. It stars Arnold Schwarzenegger as Harry Tasker, a U.S. government agent, who struggles to balance his double life as a spy with his familial duties, ...
''. She had roles as Piper Reeves in the short film ''Fishing with George'' (1994), as Cat in the television film ''Journey'' (1995), as
Paul Reiser Paul Reiser (; born March 30, 1956) is an American actor, comedian, and writer. He played the roles of Michael Taylor in the 1980s sitcom ''My Two Dads'', Paul Buchman in the NBC sitcom ''Mad About You'', Modell in the 1982 film ''Diner (1982 f ...
's daughter in the romantic comedy film '' Bye Bye Love'' (1995), and as Cindy Johnson in the comedy drama film '' Race the Sun'' (1996).


1998–2002: ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' and recognition

Dushku planned to attend
Suffolk University Suffolk University is a private university, private research university in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. With 7,560 students on all campuses, it is the List of colleges and universities in metropolitan Boston, tenth-largest university ...
in Boston, where her mother taught,Tramountaanas, George A. (March 29, 2014)
"ECCC: Eliza Dushku Talks 'Buffy,' 'Dollhouse' and Going Back to College"
.
Comic Book Resources ''CBR'', formerly ''Comic Book Resources'', is a news website primarily covering comic book news, comic book reviews, and comic book–related topics involving movies, television, anime, and video games. It is owned by Valnet, parent of publicat ...
.
but her agent asked her to submit a videotape audition for a television show starring another of his clients, Sarah Michelle Gellar. After reading the script, Dushku rushed to a local
Claire's Claire's (formerly known as Claire's Boutiques, Claire's Boutique and Claire's Accessories) is an American retailer of accessories, jewelry, and toys primarily aimed towards tween and teen girls, and young women. It was founded in 1961 and i ...
to purchase dark makeup and other appropriate accessories for the part of
Faith Faith is confidence or trust in a person, thing, or concept. In the context of religion, faith is " belief in God or in the doctrines or teachings of religion". According to the Merriam-Webster's Dictionary, faith has multiple definitions, inc ...
on ''
Buffy the Vampire Slayer ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' is an American supernatural fiction, supernatural drama television series created by writer and director Joss Whedon. The concept is based on the Buffy the Vampire Slayer (film), 1992 film, also written by Whedon, a ...
''. When she began her work on the series, Dushku was still a minor, and had to receive
emancipation Emancipation generally means to free a person from a previous restraint or legal disability. More broadly, it is also used for efforts to procure Economic, social and cultural rights, economic and social rights, civil and political rights, po ...
to work the production's long hours. She later recalled with amusement that the judge who handled her emancipation case, who was an avid fan of the show, jokingly said that she would sign the emancipation order if she could get a signed photo from Dushku. Though initially planned as a three-episode role, the character became so popular that she stayed on for the whole third season and returned for a two-part appearance in season four and for the last five episodes of the series. She also appeared in the spin-off series ''
Angel An angel is a spiritual (without a physical body), heavenly, or supernatural being, usually humanoid with bird-like wings, often depicted as a messenger or intermediary between God (the transcendent) and humanity (the profane) in variou ...
''. As an unwelcome effect of her portrayal as Faith, Dushku was inundated with fan mail from prisoners. She said:
I've been getting fan mail from maximum security penitentiaries and
death row Death row, also known as condemned row, is a place in a prison that houses inmates awaiting execution after being convicted of a capital crime and sentenced to death. The term is also used figuratively to describe the state of awaiting executio ...
. What are the authorities thinking of in playing a show with young teenage girls to Death Row inmates? They write everything – disgusting things that you don't even want to know about. And they send me pictures – "Oh, here's a picture of me before I was incarcerated!" – and there's some guy sat on the sofa with a bottle of beer and a mustache, and a big gut. It's so creepy. Way more creepy than ''Buffy''.
In 2000, Dushku starred in the hit cheerleader comedy ''Bring It On''. She followed that up with '' Soul Survivors'', which reunited her with her ''Race the Sun'' co-star
Casey Affleck Casey Affleck (born Caleb Casey McGuire Affleck-Boldt; August 12, 1975) is an American actor. He is the recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Casey Affleck, various accolades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Film ...
. In 2001, she appeared in ''
The New Guy ''The New Guy'' is a 2002 American teen comedy film directed by Ed Decter, written by David Kendall and starring DJ Qualls, Eliza Dushku, Zooey Deschanel, Lyle Lovett, and Eddie Griffin. The film tells the story of high school loser Dizzy H ...
'' with
DJ Qualls Donald Joseph Qualls (born June 10, 1978) is an American actor. He is best known for his television roles as Citizen Z on the Syfy horror series ''Z Nation'' (2014–2018) and Ed McCarthy on the Amazon Prime Video series ''The Man in the High Ca ...
and in '' City by the Sea'' with
Robert De Niro Robert Anthony De Niro ( , ; born August 17, 1943) is an American actor, director, and film producer. He is considered to be one of the greatest and most influential actors of his generation. De Niro is the recipient of List of awards and ...
and
James Franco James Edward Franco (born April 19, 1978) is an American actor and filmmaker. He has starred in numerous films, including Sam Raimi's Spider-Man (2002 film series), ''Spider-Man'' trilogy (2002–2007), ''Milk (2008 American film), Milk'' (200 ...
. The latter film garnered attention from a wider adult audience and several good reviews. The same year,
Kevin Smith Kevin Patrick Smith (born August 2, 1970) is an American film director, producer, writer, and actor. He came to prominence with the low-budget buddy comedy film ''Clerks (film), Clerks'' (1994), which he wrote, directed, co-produced, and acted i ...
invited Dushku to be a part of '' Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back''.


2003–2008: ''Tru Calling'' and subsequent roles

In 2003, Dushku starred in the horror film '' Wrong Turn'' and ''The Kiss'', an independent comedy-drama. Starting that same year, she starred in a new Fox supernatural drama, '' Tru Calling'', where she played the main character, medical student Tru Davies. After having a grant withdrawn, Tru is forced to take a job at a local morgue, where she discovers her power to "re-live" the previous day over again if one of the deceased asks for her help to change what has happened. Dushku turned down a role in a spin-off of ''
Buffy the Vampire Slayer ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' is an American supernatural fiction, supernatural drama television series created by writer and director Joss Whedon. The concept is based on the Buffy the Vampire Slayer (film), 1992 film, also written by Whedon, a ...
'' about Faith. She has had many roles as a "bad girl" in films. In an interview with ''
Maxim Maxim or Maksim may refer to: Entertainment *Maxim (magazine), ''Maxim'' (magazine), an international men's magazine ** Maxim (Australia), ''Maxim'' (Australia), the Australian edition ** Maxim (India), ''Maxim'' (India), the Indian edition *Maxim ...
'' in May 2001, Dushku says of her roles, "It's easy to play a bad girl: You just do everything you've been told not to do, and you don't have to deal with the consequences, because it's only acting." Dushku starred in the
Off-Broadway An off-Broadway theatre is any professional theatre venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, inclusive. These theatres are smaller than Broadway theatres, but larger than off-off-Broadway theatres, which seat fewer tha ...
play '' Dog Sees God'' in December 2005. The play was based on the ''
Peanuts ''Peanuts'' (briefly subtitled ''featuring Good ol' Charlie Brown'') is a print syndication, syndicated daily strip, daily and Sunday strip, Sunday American comic strip written and illustrated by Charles M. Schulz. The strip's original run ext ...
'' comic strip, with Dushku playing a character symbolizing Lucy Van Pelt. She quit in February 2006 along with other members of the cast amid rumors of abuse by the producer, which were later dismissed. She played the lead character on ''Nurses'', a hospital comedy-drama for Fox. This was the second Fox pilot in which she was cast, but not broadcast. She appeared in the
Simple Plan Simple Plan is a Canadian rock band formed in Montreal, Quebec, in 1999. The band's current lineup consists of Pierre Bouvier (lead vocals, studio bass guitar), Chuck Comeau (drums), Jeff Stinco (lead guitar), and Sébastien Lefebvre (rhyt ...
music video " I'm Just a Kid" as the band's love interest, as well as
Nickelback Nickelback is a Canadian Rock music, rock band formed in 1995 in Hanna, Alberta, Hanna, Alberta. Throughout its history, it has consisted of lead guitarist and lead vocalist Chad Kroeger, rhythm guitarist, keyboardist and backing vocalist Ryan ...
's video for " Rockstar". On October 1, 2005, she announced at
Wizard World Wizard Entertainment Inc., formerly known as Wizard World, was a producer of multi-genre fan conventions across North America. The company that became Wizard Entertainment began in 1991 as Wizard Press, the publisher of the monthly magazine ''Wi ...
Boston that shooting had begun for '' Nobel Son'' in which she would star with
Alan Rickman Alan Sidney Patrick Rickman (21 February 1946 – 14 January 2016) was an English actor and director. Known for his distinctive deep, wikt:languid#Etymology 1, languid voice, he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London and b ...
,
Danny DeVito Daniel Michael DeVito Jr. (born November 17, 1944) is an American actor and filmmaker. He gained prominence for his portrayal of the taxi dispatcher Louie De Palma in the television series ''Taxi (TV series), Taxi'' (1978–1983), which won him ...
, and
Bill Pullman William Pullman (born December 17, 1953) is an American actor. After graduating with a Master of Fine Arts degree in theater, he was an adjunct professor at Montana State University before deciding to pursue acting. Pullman made his film debut i ...
. The film was released at the 2007
Tribeca Film Festival The Tribeca Festival is an annual film festival organized by Tribeca Enterprises. It takes place each spring in New York City, showcasing a diverse selection of film, episodic, talks, music, games, art, and immersive programming. The festival ...
. Another project released in 2007 was '' On Broadway'', an independent film filmed in Boston. It received positive reviews, with a few of them highlighting Dushku's performance. Dushku has had roles in five video games. She voiced the role of Yumi Sawamura in the English-language version of ''
Yakuza , also known as , are members of transnational organized crime syndicates originating in Japan. The Japanese police and media (by request of the police) call them , while the yakuza call themselves . The English equivalent for the term ''yak ...
'' for the
PlayStation 2 The PlayStation 2 (PS2) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Sony Interactive Entertainment, Sony Computer Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on 4 March 2000, in North America on 26 October, in Europe on 24 Novembe ...
, which was published and developed by
Sega is a Japanese video game company and subsidiary of Sega Sammy Holdings headquartered in Tokyo. It produces several List of best-selling video game franchises, multi-million-selling game franchises for arcade game, arcades and video game cons ...
, and released in September 2006. Dushku also stars as Shaundi, one of the lead characters in ''
Saints Row 2 ''Saints Row 2'' is a 2008 action-adventure game developed by Volition and published by THQ. It is the sequel to 2006's '' Saints Row'' and the second installment in the ''Saints Row'' series. The game was released in October 2008 for the Pla ...
'', which was developed by Volition, Inc. and published by THQ. It was released in North America on October 14, 2008, for the
PlayStation 3 The PlayStation 3 (PS3) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE). It is the successor to the PlayStation 2, and both are part of the PlayStation brand of consoles. The PS3 was first released on ...
and
Xbox 360 The Xbox 360 is a home video game console developed by Microsoft. As the successor to the Xbox (console), original Xbox, it is the second console in the Xbox#Consoles, Xbox series. It was officially unveiled on MTV on May 12, 2005, with detail ...
. She was the voice talent for the role of Rubi Malone, the main character in the game '' WET''. She appeared at Spike TV's 2008 Video Game Awards in December 2008. Danielle Nicolet took over the role of Shaundi in '' Saints Row: The Third''. She also voiced Megan McQueen in Champion Mode of the 2011 video game Fight Night Champion. '' Variety'' announced on August 2, 2006, that Dushku would co-star with
Macaulay Culkin Macaulay Macaulay Culkin Culkin (born Macaulay Carson Culkin; ) is an American actor and musician. Considered one of the most successful child actors of the 1990s, Culkin has received a Golden Globe Award nomination and other accolades. In 200 ...
in '' Sex and Breakfast'', a dark comedy written and directed by Miles Brandman. A reviewer described Dushku as "charming" and giving the character "an edge". The film was released in Los Angeles on November 30, 2007, and on DVD on January 22, 2008. She starred in '' Open Graves'', a 2008 horror-thriller about a satanic game co-starring Mike Vogel. She played the main character in '' The Thacker Case'' and '' The Alphabet Killer'', both thrillers based on real-life events, one of them directed by
Rob Schmidt Rob Schmidt Barracano (born September 25, 1965) is an American filmmaker. His film credits include ''Wrong Turn (2003 film), Wrong Turn'' and ''Crime and Punishment in Suburbia''. He also created a pilot called American Town for Twentieth Cent ...
, with whom she had worked on ''Wrong Turn''. Both films were released in 2008. ''The Alphabet Killer'' contains Dushku's first topless scene. The film earned mixed reviews, but reviewers praised Dushku's performance, commenting "Eliza Dushku commands the screen but cannot reconcile the script's conflicted and increasingly idiotic agendas." She appeared in '' Bottle Shock'', a drama about
Napa valley Napa Valley is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) in Napa County, California. The area was established by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) on February 27, 1981, after a 1978 petition submitted by the Napa Valley Vin ...
wine. The film was directed by Randall Miller, who helmed ''Nobel Son''.


2009–2017: ''Dollhouse'', other work, and retirement

On August 26, 2007, Dushku signed a development deal with
Fox Broadcasting Company Fox Broadcasting Company, LLC (commonly known as Fox; stylized in all caps) is an Television in the United States, American commercial broadcasting, commercial broadcast television broadcaster, television network serving as the flagship proper ...
and
20th Century Fox 20th Century Studios, Inc., formerly 20th Century Fox, is an American film studio, film production and Film distributor, distribution company owned by the Walt Disney Studios (division), Walt Disney Studios, the film studios division of the ...
. Under the pact, the network and the studio would develop projects tailor-made for the actress as well as approach her with existing pitches and scripts. Subsequently, it was announced on October 31 that Dushku had lured
Joss Whedon Joseph Hill "Joss" Whedon ( ; born June 23, 1964) is an American screenwriter, director, producer, comic book writer, and composer. He is best known as the creator of several television series: the supernatural drama ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer' ...
, of ''
Buffy the Vampire Slayer ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' is an American supernatural fiction, supernatural drama television series created by writer and director Joss Whedon. The concept is based on the Buffy the Vampire Slayer (film), 1992 film, also written by Whedon, a ...
'', back to TV, to create a television series called '' Dollhouse''. Dushku produced the show and played the main character, '
Echo In audio signal processing and acoustics, an echo is a reflection of sound that arrives at the listener with a delay after the direct sound. The delay is directly proportional to the distance of the reflecting surface from the source and the lis ...
'. It aired on Fox during the 2008–09 TV season. In an interview, Dushku talked about how ''Dollhouse'' and her reconnection with Whedon came about:
I invited
Joss Whedon Joseph Hill "Joss" Whedon ( ; born June 23, 1964) is an American screenwriter, director, producer, comic book writer, and composer. He is best known as the creator of several television series: the supernatural drama ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer' ...
to lunch after I did the business deal with Fox. We'd had a cool relationship in the past and I so wanted to do something else, and I wanted to get back into a television show. I had him on the brain for sure but I hadn't called him yet, but I sort of took a leap of faith and set things up with Fox and then called Joss. We went to a four-hour lunch where I just sort of used my womanly wiles. No, we've become such good friends, kind of like brother and sister and kind of like he was my watcher, my handler from when I first moved out to L.A. when I was 17 and I was a little bit of a wild child. He's watched me and helped me and taught me over the years. I told him how bad I wanted and needed him back and he accepted and here we are.
Dushku described Whedon as "my favorite genius ... favorite friend ... big brother ... and the only person out here I've ever wholeheartedly trusted, because he's never let me down." ''Dollhouse'' was renewed for a second season. The producers cited their confidence in the strength of Whedon's fan base and high DVR numbers as their reasons for keeping the show. Fox cancelled ''Dollhouse'' on November 11, 2009. The show officially wrapped filming on the second and final season on December 16, 2009. In 2010, Dushku provided her voice for ''Noah's Ark: The New Beginning'' and appeared in the film '' Locked In''. She also guest-starred in an episode of CBS' comedy ''
The Big Bang Theory ''The Big Bang Theory'' is an American television sitcom created by Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady for CBS. It aired from September 24, 2007, to May 16, 2019, running for 12 seasons and 279 episodes. The show originally centered on five charact ...
'' which aired on November 4, 2010. In 2011, Dushku featured alongside Jayson Floyd in "One Shot", a short action clip on YouTube directed by and starring
Freddie Wong Freddie Wong (born September 13, 1985) is an American internet celebrity, filmmaker, VFX artist, podcaster, and competitive gamer. Wong has participated in at least three YouTube channels; with ''RocketJump'', his production company's main chan ...
, released on May 13, 2011. Dushku had a lead role in the online animated "motion comic" series ''Torchwood: Web of Lies'', based on the BBC series '' Torchwood: Miracle Day''. In June 2012, Dushku starred with
Katie Cassidy Katie Cassidy (born November 25, 1986) is an American actress. Following several minor television roles, she came to attention as a scream queen after starring in the horror films ''When a Stranger Calls (2006 film), When a Stranger Calls'' (2006 ...
,
Gina Gershon Gina L. Gershon (; born June 10, 1962) is an American actress and singer. She has starred in such films as ''Cocktail'' (1988), ''Red Heat'' (1988), '' Showgirls'' (1995), '' Bound'' (1996), '' Face/Off'' (1997), '' The Insider'' (1999), '' Dem ...
and Michelle Trachtenberg in '' The Scribbler'', directed by John Suits and produced by
Gabriel Cowan Gabriel Cowan is an American film director, composer and film producer. He has made documentaries, horror films, dramas, and comedies. Career Gabriel Cowan was originally a musician. At 18, he worked with Robbie Robertson to score the film ...
. In 2013, she was cast as Patricia Holm in a pilot film for a proposed TV revival series of '' The Saint'', but the series was not commissioned. In July 2017 the pilot was released on digital HD/VOD. From 2013 to 2015, Dushku voiced the role of
She-Hulk She-Hulk (Jennifer Susan Walters) is a Character (arts), character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist John Buscema, she First appearance, first appeared in ''The Savage She-Hulk ...
in the
Disney XD Disney XD is an American pay television television channel, channel owned by the Disney Branded Television and Disney Entertainment units of The Walt Disney Company. The channel is aimed primarily at older children ages six to eleven years old ...
animated series '' Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H.''. In 2014, it was announced that she would star in
Randall Miller Randall Miller (born July 24, 1962) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter, editor, and occasional actor. At the American Film Institute (AFI), Miller received acclaim for his 1990 short film ''Marilyn Hotchkiss Ballroom Dancing & ...
's ''
Midnight Rider "Midnight Rider" is a song by the American rock band the Allman Brothers Band. It was the second Single (music), single from their second studio album, ''Idlewild South'' (1970), released on Capricorn Records. The song was primarily written by v ...
'', a biopic of
Gregg Allman Gregory LeNoir Allman (December 8, 1947 – May 27, 2017) was an American musician, singer and songwriter. He was known for performing in the Allman Brothers Band. Allman grew up with an interest in rhythm and blues music, and the Allman B ...
. In 2016, she was cast in a recurring role in the fourth season of the
Cinemax Cinemax is an American pay television network owned by Home Box Office, Inc., a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery. Launched on August 1, 1980, as a "maxi-pay" service to complement the offerings of its sister premium network, HBO (Home Box ...
TV series ''
Banshee A banshee ( ; Irish language, Modern Irish , from , "woman of the Tumulus#Ireland, fairy mound" or "fairy woman") is a female spirit in Irish folklore who heralds the death of a family member, usually by screaming, wailing, shrieking, or kee ...
''. In 2017, she had a recurring guest role in the last three episodes of the first season of the CBS drama series ''
Bull A bull is an intact (i.e., not Castration, castrated) adult male of the species ''Bos taurus'' (cattle). More muscular and aggressive than the females of the same species (i.e. cows proper), bulls have long been an important symbol cattle in r ...
'' with the option of becoming a series regular in season two. After a seven-year hiatus, Dushku confirmed her retirement from acting in September 2024.


Production work

In August 2011, Dushku visited
Albania Albania ( ; or ), officially the Republic of Albania (), is a country in Southeast Europe. It is located in the Balkans, on the Adriatic Sea, Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea, and shares land borders with Montenegro to ...
with a crew from the
Travel Channel Travel Channel (stylized as Trvl Channel since 2018) is an American pay television television channel, channel owned by Warner Bros. Discovery, who previously owned the channel from 1997 to 2007. The channel is headquartered in Manhattan, with ...
and
Lonely Planet Lonely Planet is a travel guide book publisher. Founded in Australia in 1973, the company has printed over 150 million books. History 20th century Lonely Planet was founded by married couple Maureen Wheeler, Maureen and Tony Wheeler. In 19 ...
to film '' Dear Albania'', a documentary promoting tourism in her father's family's country of origin. Dushku has been
CEO A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a chief executive or managing director, is the top-ranking corporate officer charged with the management of an organization, usually a company or a nonprofit organization. CEOs find roles in variou ...
of her own production company, Boston Diva Productions, with her brother Nate as a partner. She secured exclusive rights to make an authorized film based on the life of photographer
Robert Mapplethorpe Robert Michael Mapplethorpe ( ; November 4, 1946 – March 9, 1989) was an American photographer, best known for his black-and-white photographs. His work featured an array of subjects, including celebrity portraits, male and female Nude (art), n ...
. At one time provisionally entitled ''The Perfect Moment'', the film was in development over more than a decade. Eventually she enlisted the help of Ondi Timoner and Mapplethorpe, with
Matt Smith Matthew Robert Smith (born 28 October 1982) is an English actor. He is known for playing the Eleventh Doctor in the BBC science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'' (2010–2013), Prince Philip in Netflix's historical series ''The Crown ( ...
as the title character, was brought to the screen in 2018. In 2017, her production company, in association with IM Global Television, was reported to be developing Glen Cook's '' The Black Company'' series of books for a television series, with Dushku potentially starring as The Lady.


Personal life

Dushku was raised a
Mormon Mormons are a religious and cultural group related to Mormonism, the principal branch of the Latter Day Saint movement started by Joseph Smith in upstate New York during the 1820s. After Smith's death in 1844, the movement split into several ...
, and still has a Mormon-themed tattoo. She describes herself as having taken a different path from the LDS Church, and is grateful for having grown up in it. Dushku lived for more than 15 years in
Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
, though spending substantial time back in Watertown and Boston in the period before her stepfather died. She lived for several years in the Laurel Canyon area. In 2009, she posed nude for the May issue of ''Allure'' magazine. Having originally intended to attend college in
Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...
, before her break on ''Buffy'' altered those plans, she announced in March 2014 at the Emerald City Comicon that she would be attending college later that year. On June 22, 2014, ''
The Boston Globe ''The Boston Globe,'' also known locally as ''the Globe'', is an American daily newspaper founded and based in Boston, Massachusetts. The newspaper has won a total of 27 Pulitzer Prizes. ''The Boston Globe'' is the oldest and largest daily new ...
'' reported that Dushku had left Los Angeles, moved back to Watertown near Boston, and was planning to attend college. As of 2016, she was a student at
Suffolk University Suffolk University is a private university, private research university in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. With 7,560 students on all campuses, it is the List of colleges and universities in metropolitan Boston, tenth-largest university ...
, studying
sociology Sociology is the scientific study of human society that focuses on society, human social behavior, patterns of Interpersonal ties, social relationships, social interaction, and aspects of culture associated with everyday life. The term sociol ...
. In 2019, ''
Boston Magazine ''Boston'' (also called "''Boston'' magazine" or referred to by the nickname "BoMag") is a regional monthly magazine concerning life in the Greater Boston area, which has been in publication since 1962. History Metrocorp Publishing, a Philade ...
'' reported that she was studying holistic psychology at
Lesley University Lesley University is a private university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. It was founded in 1909 to educate teachers. Originally founded as a women's college, male students were admitted beginning in 2005. History 1909–1998 Th ...
. She graduated in 2020. In 2023, it was reported by ''The Boston Globe'' that Dushku was studying for her master's degree in counseling and clinical mental health, with a focus on psychedelic-assisted therapies and treatment for addiction and mental health. During an interview with ''Boston Magazine'' in September 2024, Dushku revealed she has become a certified therapist, primarily focusing on psychedelic therapy for trauma patients, and she has also become an advocate for the use of psychedelic drugs in mental health treatment. In June 2025, Dushku received her master's degree in clinical mental health counseling from Lesley University. She is politically active and campaigned for
Bernie Sanders Bernard Sanders (born September8, 1941) is an American politician and activist who is the Seniority in the United States Senate, senior United States Senate, United States senator from the state of Vermont. He is the longest-serving independ ...
in the U.S. presidential election of 2016.


Relationships

Dushku began dating former
Boston Celtics The Boston Celtics ( ) are an American professional basketball team based in Boston. The Celtics compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NBA), Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), ...
and
Los Angeles Lakers The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division (NBA), Pacific Division of the Western Conference (NBA ...
basketball player Rick Fox in October 2009, and in August 2010 the couple confirmed that they were living together. It was announced on June 24, 2014, that the pair had split. In June 2017, she became engaged to businessman Peter Palandjian and they wed on August 18, 2018. On August 1, 2019, Dushku announced the birth of the couple's son. In February 2021, Dushku announced via Instagram that she was pregnant with her second child. In August 2021, Dushku gave birth to the couple's second son.


Activism

Dushku serves on the board of directors of the THRIVE-Gulu organization (The Trauma Healing and Reflection Center in
Gulu Gulu is a city in the Northern Region of Uganda. It is the commercial and administrative centre of Gulu District. The coordinates of the city of Gulu are 2°46'54.0"N 32°17'57.0"E. The city's distance from Kampala, Uganda's capital and large ...
), an organization dedicated to helping the survivors of war (including former child soldiers) in
Northern Uganda The Northern Region is one of four regions in Uganda. As of Uganda's 2014 census, the region's population was . Districts As of 2010, the Northern Region had 30 districts A district is a type of administrative division that in some co ...
, which her mother and stepfather co-founded. She raised US$30,000 for the land for the center's building, and has performed other fundraising activities, as well as helping out in the center itself. As a role model to campus leaders for her activism, Dushku was invited by the Millennium Campus Network (MCN) as a national keynote speaker and honored as a Global Generation Award winner alongside U.S. Secretary of State
John Kerry John Forbes Kerry (born December 11, 1943) is an American attorney, politician, and diplomat who served as the 68th United States secretary of state from 2013 to 2017 in the Presidency of Barack Obama#Administration, administration of Barac ...
at MCN events in 2011. Over several years, Dushku raised funds for Camp Hale, which had been attended by her father and brothers, including some specific campaigning to sustain a new concept of a girls' session at the camp, which was launched in 2012, and which she joined in person.


Albanian citizenship

Dushku visited her father's family and their home city in
Albania Albania ( ; or ), officially the Republic of Albania (), is a country in Southeast Europe. It is located in the Balkans, on the Adriatic Sea, Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea, and shares land borders with Montenegro to ...
in 2006 after receiving an invitation from Albanian Prime Minister
Sali Berisha Sali Berisha (; born 15 October 1944) is an Albanian cardiologist and conservative politician who served as the president of Albania from 1992 to 1997 and as the 32nd Prime Minister of Albania, prime minister of Albania from 2005 to 2013. Berisha ...
. She also visited
Kosovo Kosovo, officially the Republic of Kosovo, is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe with International recognition of Kosovo, partial diplomatic recognition. It is bordered by Albania to the southwest, Montenegro to the west, Serbia to the ...
and got an Albanian Eagle tattoo on the back of her neck. While on her second visit to Albania in 2011, Dushku applied for Albanian citizenship and obtained the Albanian passport and ID Card. Dushku became an honorary citizen of
Tirana Tirana ( , ; ) is the capital and List of cities and towns in Albania, largest city of Albania. It is located in the centre of the country, enclosed by mountains and hills, with Dajti rising to the east and a slight valley to the northwest ov ...
, and was given the honorary title of Tirana Ambassador of Culture and Tourism in the World by Tirana mayor Lulzim Basha. Additionally, she was given honorary citizen status in her father's home town of
Korçë Korçë (; sq-definite, Korça) is the List of cities and towns in Albania, eighth most populous city of Albania and the seat of Korçë County and Korçë Municipality. The total population of the city is 51,152 and 75,994 of Korçë municipal ...
. She and her brother Nate Dushku produced a film about a joint visit to Albania, '' Dear Albania''.


Sexual molestation and harassment allegations

In January 2018, Dushku publicly alleged having been molested by stunt coordinator Joel Kramer when she was 12 and working on ''
True Lies ''True Lies'' is a 1994 American action comedy film written and directed by James Cameron. It stars Arnold Schwarzenegger as Harry Tasker, a U.S. government agent, who struggles to balance his double life as a spy with his familial duties, ...
''. She wrote that soon after, an adult friend of Dushku confronted Kramer on set, and that the same day, Dushku was injured during a stunt and several of her ribs were broken, while Kramer was responsible for her safety. Kramer has denied the accusation of sexual misconduct. In January 2019, CBS made a $9.5 million settlement with Dushku after she was fired from a recurring role on ''
Bull A bull is an intact (i.e., not Castration, castrated) adult male of the species ''Bos taurus'' (cattle). More muscular and aggressive than the females of the same species (i.e. cows proper), bulls have long been an important symbol cattle in r ...
'', after informing producers of series lead Michael Weatherly's alleged inappropriate behavior on the set. According to documents from the official mediation, Weatherly was recorded on video making comments about spanking Dushku over his knee, soliciting a threesome, alluding to sexual assault in his "rape van", and other harassing statements. After Dushku spoke with the producers, Weatherly texted
CBS Television Studios CBS Studios, Inc. is an American television production company which is a subsidiary of the CBS Entertainment Group unit of Paramount Global. It was formed on January 17, 2006, by CBS Corporation as CBS Paramount (Network) Television, as a re ...
' president David Stapf saying he wanted to talk about Dushku's sense of humor, though Stapf pushed back saying "Ms. Dushku made the show better." Days later, showrunner Glenn Gordon Caron terminated Dushku's expected role on the show, despite opposition from studio executives. The settlement amount was calculated to compensate Dushku for her loss of earnings from her planned promotion to a series regular, with "well-developed plans" set to make her a regular cast member following her three-episode guest appearance. In December 2018, when the settlement was reported, Weatherly publicly apologized for the comments. Dushku responded that Weatherly broke the terms of their settlement by speaking to the press and characterized his apology as "more deflection, denial, and spin". In November 2021, Dushku testified in front of the
House Judiciary Committee The U.S. House Committee on the Judiciary, also called the House Judiciary Committee, is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives. It is charged with overseeing the administration of justice within the federal courts, f ...
about her sexual harassment accusations during her time on ''Bull''. In February 2021, Dushku shared a message of support for Charisma Carpenter, in reference to allegations of abuse against ''Buffy'' creator
Joss Whedon Joseph Hill "Joss" Whedon ( ; born June 23, 1964) is an American screenwriter, director, producer, comic book writer, and composer. He is best known as the creator of several television series: the supernatural drama ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer' ...
.


Health

Dushku has said that she has
attention deficit hyperactivity disorder Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterised by symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity, impulsivity, and emotional dysregulation that are excessive and pervasive, impairing in multiple con ...
(ADHD). She announced in December 2011 that she switched to a
vegan Veganism is the practice of abstaining from the use of animal products and the consumption of animal source foods, and an associated philosophy that rejects the commodity status of animals. A person who practices veganism is known as a ve ...
diet after watching the documentary '' Forks Over Knives''. In December 2014, she said she was no longer a vegetarian. On March 7, 2017, Dushku attended a Youth Summit on Opioid Awareness, where she revealed that she was a recovering
alcoholic Alcoholism is the continued drinking of alcohol despite it causing problems. Some definitions require evidence of dependence and withdrawal. Problematic use of alcohol has been mentioned in the earliest historical records. The World Hea ...
and drug addict, having begun drinking and abusing drugs at the age of 14. She said her addictions were at one point so serious that her brother forbade her from being left alone with her niece, his daughter Sofia, and that she had been sober for eight-and-a-half years.


Filmography


Film


Television

;Notes


Video games


Music videos


Awards and nominations


Honors

*Dushku was ranked by ''
Maxim Maxim or Maksim may refer to: Entertainment *Maxim (magazine), ''Maxim'' (magazine), an international men's magazine ** Maxim (Australia), ''Maxim'' (Australia), the Australian edition ** Maxim (India), ''Maxim'' (India), the Indian edition *Maxim ...
'' magazine as 6th on the "Hot 100 Women of 2009" list. *Dushku was named Ambassador for the 2012
Consumer Electronics Show CES (; formerly an initialism for Consumer Electronics Show) is an annual trade show organized by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA). Held in January at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Winchester, Nevada, United States, the event typi ...
Entertainment Matters program in October 2011.


References


External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Dushku, Eliza 1980 births Living people 20th-century American actresses 21st-century American actresses Activists from Boston Activists from Los Angeles Actresses from Boston Actresses from Los Angeles American actors with disabilities American child actresses American film actresses American people of Albanian descent American television actresses American video game actresses American voice actresses American women chief executives Beaver Country Day School alumni Former Latter Day Saints George Washington University alumni Massachusetts Democrats Naturalized citizens of Albania People with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder People from Watertown, Massachusetts Watertown High School (Massachusetts) alumni Lesley University alumni